WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Open World Leadership Center begins soliciting proposals for its 2018 exchange programs from U.S. based organizations with established foreign visitors programs or demonstrated ability to host foreign visitors.

Organizations submitting proposals are asked to design 10-day professional development programs for emerging political, civic, and community leaders from Eurasia. All professional development programs must link Open World delegates to national, regional, and local levels of governance and private sector activity in their community and/or state.

As a legislative branch agency, Open World directly supports Congress and brings emerging Eurasian leaders to congressional districts across the United States. In 2016 and 2017, Open World hosted professional programs in all 50 states. Open World has a network of more than 26,000 alumni and 8,300 host families in more than 2,100 communities in the United States.

Programs are being designed for delegates from participating Open World countries in the 2018 Grant Guidelines: Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Ukraine. Key themes for 2018 include: legislative development for Members of Parliament, local legislators, judicial and legal professionals, economic development, accountable governance, and social services for government, civic leaders, and staff.

Sub themes for civic programs in accountable governance and social services include: adoption, agriculture, best practices for media professionals, countering violent extremism for Muslim communities, combatting human trafficking, community development, cyber-intellectual property rights, decentralization/intergovernmental relations, ecology, environmentalism, entrepreneurism, health care practitioner innovation, higher education, issues of internally displaced persons, NGO development, preventing/combatting corruption of public funds, prison reform, rights of indigenous groups, serving veterans/veterans affairs, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) development, treating post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), tourism management, women’s leadership, and zoo management.

Grant applications in response to this solicitation are due by the close of business on Monday October 23, 2017.

To view 2018’s Grant Guidelines and further requirements, please click here: https://www.openworld.gov/hosting/apply-grant